---
title: "Goed, beter, best and other irregulars"
level: A2
chapter: "Adjectives and adverbs"
canonical: https://www.dutchfluency.com/grammar/irregular-comparison
updated: 2026-10-09
author: Dutch Fluency
license: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
---

# Goed, beter, best and other irregulars

Four very common Dutch words change their whole shape when you compare, instead of simply adding -er and -st: _goed, beter, best_; _veel, meer, meest_; _weinig, minder, minst_; and _graag, liever, liefst_. Learn them as one set of four. You did the same with good, better, best in English, and three of these sets match English almost word for word.

## The pattern

> The comparative (the "more" form) and the superlative (the "most" form) of _goed_, _veel_, _weinig_ and _graag_ are irregular, so you learn them as fixed words.

- _goed, beter, best_: good or well, better, best
- _veel, meer, meest_: much or many, more, most
- _weinig, minder, minst_: little or few, less or fewer, least or fewest
- _graag, liever, liefst_: like to, prefer to, like most of all
- Before a noun, the superlative gets -e, usually with _de_ or _het_: _de beste fiets_, _het meeste werk_, _de minste moeite_. This works as in [the lesson on superlatives](https://www.dutchfluency.com/grammar/superlatives).
- When you say how someone does something, use _het_: _Daan kookt het best._ _Het beste_ is also correct here.
- When they mean more and less, _meer_ and _minder_ get no -e before a noun: _meer brood_, _minder mensen_.
- _graag_, _liever_ and _het liefst_ usually go with a verb: _Ik fiets graag_ (I like cycling). There is [more on liking things](https://www.dutchfluency.com/grammar/graag).

## Examples

| Sanne kookt **goed**, maar Daan kookt nog **beter**. | Sanne cooks well, but Daan cooks even better. |
| Van alle collega's kookt Fatima **het best**. | Of all the colleagues, Fatima cooks best. |
| Yara heeft **de beste** cijfers van de klas. | Yara has the best marks in the class. |
| Ahmed werkt **veel**, maar Bas werkt nog **meer**. | Ahmed works a lot, but Bas works even more. |
| **De meeste** treinen rijden vandaag op tijd. | Most trains are running on time today. |
| Emma heeft **weinig** tijd, maar Carlos heeft nog **minder**. | Emma has little time, but Carlos has even less. |
| Van ons drieën heeft Priya **het minst** betaald. | Of the three of us, Priya paid the least. |
| Mei fietst **graag** naar haar werk. | Mei likes cycling to work. |
| Joris neemt **liever** de trein dan de bus. | Joris prefers the train to the bus. |
| Op mijn verjaardag eet ik **het liefst** pannenkoeken. | On my birthday, pancakes are what I like eating most. |

## Why it works this way

The words people use most tend to keep old, irregular forms: they are repeated so often that nobody smooths them out. English and Dutch are close relatives and kept the same irregulars: good, better, best; much, more, most; little, less, least.

The odd one out is _graag_. Its comparative and superlative come from _lief_ (dear, sweet): what you like better is literally dearer to you. If you speak German, it works like gern, lieber, am liebsten.

Compare:

- _Ik eet graag vis._ I like eating fish.
- _Ik eet liever vis._ I would rather eat fish.
- _Ik eet het liefst vis._ Fish is my favourite thing to eat.
- _Daan is de beste._ Daan is the best one.
- _Daan kookt het best._ Daan cooks best.

One more thing: _best_ on its own often means quite or fine. _Het is best koud_ means it is quite cold, not the coldest. More in [the lesson on intensifiers](https://www.dutchfluency.com/grammar/intensifiers).

Remember: three sets copy English, and only _graag_ needs new forms. Think of _liever_ as dearer: _Ik drink liever thee_ simply means tea is dearer to you.

## Watch out

- Not: _Deze fiets is goeder dan mijn oude fiets._ Say: _Deze fiets is beter dan mijn oude fiets._ (_goed_ has no -er form)
- Not: _Ik drink graager thee._ Say: _Ik drink liever thee._ (the comparative of _graag_ is _liever_)
- Not: _Meeste mensen hier hebben een fiets._ Say: _De meeste mensen hier hebben een fiets._ (English says most people, Dutch needs _de_)
- Not: _Dit is het best restaurant van Utrecht._ Say: _Dit is het beste restaurant van Utrecht._ (before a noun, the superlative gets -e)

## Quick check

1. Fill in a form of _goed_: _Het weer is vandaag ... dan gisteren._
2. Fill in a form of _graag_: _Ik neem ... de trein dan de auto._
3. Fill in a form of _weinig_: _Op zondag rijden er ... treinen dan op maandag._
4. Fill in the superlative of _veel_: _... collega's komen met de fiets naar kantoor._

## Answers

1. _beter_ (_goed_ has no -er form, and _dan_ needs a comparative)
2. _liever_ (the comparative of _graag_)
3. _minder_ (the comparative of _weinig_, for both less and fewer)
4. _De meeste_ (before a plural noun, the superlative needs _de_ and -e)

## Use it today

Next time a colleague offers you coffee, answer with _Nee, dank je, ik drink liever thee_ (or the other way round). Then tell them your favourite: _Ik drink het liefst warme chocolademelk._

## Questions learners ask

**What is the comparative of goed in Dutch?**

The comparative of goed is beter and the superlative is best, just like good, better, best in English. Do not say goeder: say Deze fiets is beter, and before a noun use de beste or het beste.

**How do you say "I prefer" in Dutch?**

Put liever next to the verb: Ik drink liever thee means I prefer tea, or I would rather have tea. For what you like most of all, use het liefst: Ik drink het liefst water.

**Is it de beste or het beste in Dutch?**

Before a noun, use the article of that noun: de beste fiets, het beste idee. When you describe how someone does something, het best and het beste are both correct: Daan kookt het best.

From the Dutch Fluency Grammar: https://www.dutchfluency.com/grammar. Shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.